Improvement in apparatus for dividing powders



PATENT OFFECE.

GEORGE P. ALLEN, OF WOODBURY, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING POWDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,253, dated June 27, 1871.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. ALLEN, of Woodbury, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Dividing Powders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art-to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for proportioning and dividing powders, being intended to provide a simple and efficient means whereby druggists may quickly separate a mass of powder into any given number of equal quantities for doses and the like. The invention consists of a board or plate of any kind or substance best suited for thev purpose, having any required number of holes or pockets of uniform size and shape made through or in it, and each hole provided with a movable bottom or piston arranged for shifting quickly to vary the depth of the pocket, all the said bottoms or pistons being arranged so as to move equally in relation to the plate or holes therein, all as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a transverse sectional elevation of my improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a top view, the same partly sectioned horizontally.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspon ding parts.

A represents the plate or table having the holes or pockets B. C represents the movable bottoms or pistons, which are fitted snugly in the holes which they enter from below. In this example they are mounted onV a board, D, whichis raised and lowered to vary the depth of the holes by a hand-lever, E, suitably pivoted to a support and connected to the said board; but any' other suitable means for shifting the said board and the pistons may be employed; or the support for the pistons may be made stationary and the table be made to move. The mass of powder is placed on the table and scraped over the holes so as to lill as many as the number of divisions required. If it fails to till as many holes as the said divisions required, the pistons are raised or the plate lowered, as the case may be, by which the powder in the illed pockets will be raised above the surface, so that some of it may be scraped into the holes `not iilled, which being doneand the requisitenumber of holes filled, the division is completed, when the pistons are raised to the level with the table and the powders raised up in separate piles, to be scraped away separately. The pistons are shifted downward, and the operation of dividing the powders is carried on in like manner, if the pistons are too high at iirst. The pistons are fitted in the holes as closely as they may be and yet work freely.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A powder-dividing apparatus, consisting of a plate or table provided with holes or pockets, and each hole provided with an adjustable bottom, all arranged to vary the depth oi' the pockets simultaneously and uniformly, all substantially as specified.

Witnesses: `GEORGE P. ALLEN.

J As. HUNTINGTON, F. A. WALKER. 

